Expect a tight race for the title when the 2016 Philippine Superliga Challenge Cup beach volleyball tournament fires off today at the Sands at SM by the Bay in Mall of Asia.
Action starts at 7:30 a.m. with a total of 14 female pairs set to battle it all out in this second edition of the tournament. Nine male tandems, meanwhile, clash with each other next weekend.
Veteran tandems like Jovelyn Gonzaga and Nene Bautista of RC Cola Army-A, Bang Pineda and Aiza Pontillas of Petron XCS, and Danika Gendrauli and Aby Maraño of F2 Logistics will banner the strong field against equally talented counterparts.
Gendrauli, who is part of the champion team that won the inaugural meet last year, will be parading with a new but competitive partner in Maraño, a former UAAP Most Valuable Player in the indoor tournament, Gendrauli’s former partner, Norie Diaz, meanwhile, is teaming up with Pau Soriano for Standard Insurance A.
RC Cola Army B’s Jeannie Delos Reyes and Genie Sabas raise the curtain when they meet University of the East’s Angelica Dacaymat and Jasmine Alcayde, followed by Petron Sprint’s Maica Morada and Frances Molina over Standard Insurance B’s Florence Madulid and Pau Genido.
Up next are Foton’s Cherry Rondina and Patty Orendain versus Accel’s Aileen Abuel and Princess Listana, followed by Petron XCS’ Pontillas and Pineda over Mapua’s Shaira Hermano and Danielle Ramilo, among other pairings.
The remaining playdates will be played on May 14, 22, and 29.